HTML5 for Digital Advertising

HTML5 for Digital Advertising 2.0 Released

Guidance for Ad Designers and Creative Technologists

HTML5 Ads are like mini web pages and require multiple file types to create the ad display and ad features. These files need to be packaged in a way that optimizes load performance and reduces the time it takes to display the ad. However, ad developers may not know how they can produce a visually appealing and interactive ad while making the ad easier to load. In addition HTML5 opens up a diverse set of choices for designers. This guide is designed to help designers navigate the different choices in technologies like javascript, CSS, SVG, video formats, and codecs as well as understand how they are served and executed for maximum performance.

Historically, ad developers have used tools (such as Adobe Flash™) that enabled them to design without thinking about code. Many of these tools required browser plug-ins that many browsers are no longer supporting. This shift in technology has been turning developers to HTML5 since its official release in 2012. HTML ads don’t need plug-ins to execute, but moving to HTML5 can seem code-heavy and makes for a daunting transition. In addition, the overhead in ad operations is overwhelming as ad technologists work with ad developers to format HTML5 ads to meet publisher requirements.

While working with HTML5 is complex, it’s not necessarily more complex than traditional tools. In fact, a number of visual development tools have been released in recent years to produce interactive content in an HTML5 format without having to deal with the code. Despite the options available for ad developers, working with HTML5 is different than working with the traditional animation tools.

This document provides guidance on ad development in HTML5, including tips for generating, packaging, and testing ads as well as how to work with ad operations to ensure ads will load and work as expected in a live campaign.

Seamless operation with HTML5 ads continues to prove challenging, but adhering to the practices outlined in the HTML5 for Digital Advertisers guide helps improve ad development and reduce ad operation overhead.